Mock Oxbridge Interviews

Last week, a group of Cardinal Vaughan Sixth Former pupils took part in mock entrance interviews for Oxford and Cambridge. In the last seven years, Cardinal Vaughan has sent more students to Oxford or Cambridge than any other Catholic school in the country – private or state.

We’re tremendously proud of the achievements of former pupils attaining places at these world-class Universities. This is why, each year, we arrange for Sixth Form pupils to take part in mock interviews run by Oxford and Cambridge graduates drawn from Vaughan alumni and supporters of the school.

Olivia McQuaid (OV 2020) has volunteered to support this initiative for the last three years since she left the school. She commented: "I really love giving back to the Vaughan because I know how valuable support can be when applying to Oxbridge - even 4 years and most of a degree later I still remember the daunting feeling of sending in those applications and sitting the entrance exams. I genuinely would not be having the best time (minus the looming pressure of finals!) at the university of my dreams now without the support of everyone at CVMS: the alumni who interviewed me, the teachers who looked over all 7 drafts of my personal statement, and the staff who continue to help me, even after I left in 2020. Helping out with this is my way of fulfilling the school motto, Amare et Servire, as repayment for the love and service everyone at CVMS showed me, and still continues to show me!"

This year, we welcomed back 12 Old Vaughanian volunteers, all giving very generously of their time to help our pupils shine. Subjects covered included Medicine, Land Economy, Architecture, Natural Sciences and Law.

Mr Stubbings, Headmaster, adds: “Initiatives like this show the Vaughan community at its best and most supportive as our alumni come back to share their experiences and mentor the next generation. We are also hugely grateful to other interviewers who are friends of Vaughan or have a connection to our teaching staff who were so generous with their time and expertise. I was especially pleased with the feedback from the interviewers commenting positively on the preparation and passion showed by the Sixth Form students taking part.”

The programme is run by Ms Vernon-Powell, Teacher of English and Acting Head of Future Pathways. Thank you to our alumni who supported our mock Oxbridge interviews.

Ruairi Coyne (OV 2020) Land Economy
Flora Fergusson (OV 2017) English
Jack Franco (OV 2018) French and PPE
Andrew Gardner (OV 2009) Dentistry
Zemira Humphrey (OV 2019) Geography
Blaise McNestry (OV 2020) English
Olivia McQuaid (OV 2020) English and Classics
David Okai (OV 1995) Medicine
Tom Pietrzycki (OV 2019) Physics
Ruby Riley (OV 2011) English
Logan Stewart (OV 2018) Computer Science
Esther Welbrock (OV 2022) Human, Social, and Political Science